Laisa Toscane Vorbarra
Laisa Toscane Vorbarra (vohr-BAA-ruh) was the reigning Empress of the Barrayaran Imperium, the wife of Emperor Gregor Vorbarra, as well as the daughter of prominent Komarran oligarchs, often referred to as those Toscanes.Memory chapter 5 Biography Initially introduced to the bachelor Emperor when she accompanied Duv Galeni to a dinner party at the Imperial Residence, Laisa impressed Gregor with her bold and succinct attempt to lobby him directly for trade concessions during the course of the meal.Memory chapter 5 Gregor later invited her to an intimate luncheon in which he thrilled her by arranging her first horseback ride on a beautiful white mare, which could be construed as the beginning of their courtship.Memory chapter 9 The principal heiress and future leader of her family's business empire, she served as a lobbyist and representative in Vorbarr Sultana for her family's business interests until her marriage.Memory chapter 5 She and Gregor stipulated in their marriage vows that any children of the union would be gestated in a uterine replicator, and would not be "body births," as preferred by the more conservative among the Vor caste.Memory chapter 28 Many Komarrans (and many Barrayarans, for that matter) viewed the marriage as shrewd politics on the part of Gregor, symbolizing a union of two of the slightly antagonistic component societies of the Barrayaran Imperium.Komarr chapter 8 To further strum political sensibilities, Gregor decreed that the reconstruction and enlargement of Komarr's soletta, a large orbital array of mirrors augmenting the solar light reaching the surface necessary in Komarr's long-term terraforming project, be deemed a wedding present to his wife, and symbolically to the planet Komarr from Barrayar.ref name="A Civil Campaign17">''A Civil Campaign'' chapter 17 The events of Cryoburn were launched when her aunt came to her with a suspicion of a scam occurring in the attempt of the WhiteChrys cryonics corporation to expand onto Komarr. Gregor and Laisa had several children by this point; Armsman Roic described them as "scarily smart."Cryoburn chapter 8 Personality and traits Laisa looked "maternal" to the eye, short and a little plump, unlike the fashionably tall, willowy Vor women Gregor had been introduced to by Lady Alys Vorpatril, his social secretary. She had beautiful eyes that were not quite blue, nor quite green. Despite her lack of svelte proportions, she dressed in classy and stylish Komarran-style garments.Memory chapter 5 Lady Alys ruefully noted after her betrothal to Gregor, it should have been obvious that a man who lost his mother at the age of four would be attracted to maternal women.Memory chapter 9 Gregor also expressed to close confidants that he mistrusted Vor blood, thanks to his Caligula-like father Prince Serg. The fact that Laisa was not Vor was crucial to his willingness to marry her.Memory chapter 9 She was highly intelligent, with an advanced education in financial and business affairs; she had a doctorate in business theory.Memory chapter 4 Titles Laisa, in addition to her title as Empress, was the Countess Vorbarra, and also held a doctorate, meaning that she could be referred to as Doctor Toscane. She might also be referred to as Doctor Vorbarra, or Doctor Toscane Vorbarra. Notes and references External links * Category:Vorbarra family Category:Toscane Family